Reclining chair



F. J. LUKETA RECLINING CHAIR July 11, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1946 m m m FRANK J. LUKETA A TTORNEYS July 11, 1950 F. J. LUKETA RECLINING CHAIR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 12, 1946 INVENTOR. FRANK J. LUKETA ATTORNEYS patented July 11 1950 U N! TED TATES PATENT OFFICE v BECYLINING CHAIR Frank J. Luketa, Seattle, Wash.

Application February 12, 1946, Serial No. 647,153 8 Claims. (01. 155-105) The present invention concerns a chair in which a seat and a back, and preferablyalso a leg rest, are each independentl tiltably mounted for adjustment at will by power means, with respect to each otherand to the supporting floor-supported frame. A head rest is preferably also mounted upon and adjustable relative to the back.

The chair of the present invention is similar to the chair disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 583,246, filed March 17, 1945, now abandoned, and in other copending applications disclosing varying constructional forms. Primarily the present invention differs from the forms of these several applications in that, herein, the seat is supported for tilting about an axis adjacent .the seats forward edge, and the back. is supported upon the seat for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats rear edge.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide transmission mechanism of simple, rugged, reliable nature, for tilting the back and seat, each with respect to its immediate support, and each independently of or conjointly with the other, from power means mounted upon the frame, notwithstanding that the backis tiltably mounted upon the tiltable seat. More particularly, it is an object to connect the power means, so mounted, with theback through a rotative element mounted coaxially of the axis about which the seat tilts, and, further, to effect the connection in such a way that the tilting force is applied substantially equally at both sides of the back.

Itis another object of the present invention to effect tilting 'of the seat by tilting means applied directly betweenthe rear edge of the seat and the frame, for best mechanical advantage, yet connected to the power means upon the frame by way of the axis about which the seat tilts, at the seats forward edge. 1

Another object is to mount the leg rest, in a chair wherein the seat and back are operatively arranged'as described above, also for tilting about the axis about which the seat tilts, for movement between a retracted and projected positions, and to efiectsuch movement by power means mounted upon the frame.

Thus, cumulatively, it is an object to'connect power means upon the frame with each of tilting means for the seat, back, and leg rest, by way of a rotative element mounted coaxially of that axis about which the seattilts.

Various other objects will appear more clearly, or in greater detail, as this specification proresses.

The present invention comprises those parts and combinations, and the relationship of various elements to one another, such as is defined in the claims.

The drawings illustrate the invention in a representative form, although it will be clear that the drawings are illustrative, and are not intended to be complete as to details.

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the chair as a whole.

Figure 2 is a general plan view, the component parts being shown in reclining adjustment, and with various parts broken away or better illustration of otherwise hidden parts.

Figure 3 is a section generally along the line 33 of Figure 2, showing the seat-tilting means.

Figure 4 is a broken-away rear elevation of the back, illustrating the head-rest tilting mechanism.

Figure 5 is a section along the line 55 of Figure 2, primarily illustrating the back-tilting means, and secondarily the head rest tilting mechanism.

Figure 6 is a detail section along the line 6-6 of Figure 2, illustrating the leg rest adjusting means.

Figure 'I is a front elevation, and

Figure 8 a broken-away side elevation, of the reading stand which isincorporated in this chair.

The principal components of the chair are the seat I, the back 2, the frame which includes primarily the arms 3, the leg rest 4, and the head rest 5. The chair, as illustrated, incorporates also a reading stand 1. The particular construction and shape of each such component is largely immaterial, and is only conventionally represented in the drawings. The general mounting of each element has already been described, and will be later described in detail.

The floor-supported frame is made up, for example, of two panels 30 upstanding from a base 3|, whereby the panels 30 are located and supported upright within the removable casings which define the side arms 3.

A hollow cross shaft I0 is disposed adjacent the forward edge of the seat, being removably supported by a cross rod Illa passing through it and extending between the opposite frame panels 30. This shaft I0 defines the axis about which the seat tilts, but of itself is not the means whereby the seat is tilted. The seat-tilting means engages the rear edge of the seat, in order to secure the best mechanical advantage; preferably the seats rear edge is lifted equally at its opposite sides, so that it does not sag at one cornerY The reversible motor 19 mounted upon a frame panel 30 provides power for tilting the seat I. An arcuate rack ll, centered on the axis at I about which the seat tilts, with which meshes a rack pinion l2 fixed upon a cross shaft l3 journaled in the seat adjacent its rear edge, constitutes the final link in the power transmission whereby to tilt the seat. The pinion l2 and rack I l are duplicated at the opposite sides of the seat, to prevent saggin or undue stress. ate the shaft I3 on the seat and the motor IS on the frame are suitable drive means, such the worm pinion l5 driving the worm gear l6 upon the sleeve [1, which sleeve is journaled upon and. hence coaxial with the shaft I0; a gear Ha is Intermedi- 4 46, fast to the worm gear 44, and sprocket gear 41, fast to the shaft I0.

The leg-rest power transmission incorporates, like the others, an irreversible drive at 43, 44, and a rotative element ll-actually, also, the shaft I 0 itself--which is coaxial with the axis about which the seat tilts. By such means a motor mounted fixedly upon the frame may operate atiltably mounted leg rest through a rotativev element coaxial With-theseats axis about which the seat tilts.

The head rest 5 is hinged at 50 to the upper edge of the back, and is tiltable relative to the fixed upon the sleeve l1, and a chain l8'connects the gear Na and a gear I311 fast upon the shaft Rotating the motor [9 in one direction tr the other rotates the coaxial sleeve I! by an i'r- 1? Y reversible connection I5, 16, and hence rolls the rackpinions l2 upor down their arcuate racks H;- raising or lowering the rear edge of the seat, andtilting the seat about the-shaft l llwhichsupports its forward edge. l

The back 2 is carried upon arms 2| at each side whichare secured tothe tubular or sleeve shaft journaled upon the cross shaft l3. Thus'the back rises and falls with the tilting of theseat I, and furthermore tilts about an axlsadjacent the rear edge of the seat. This is accomplished by amotor 29 mounted upon a frame panel 30, by

way of a sleeve 22 journaled upon and hence coaxial with the shaft In which is the support about which the seat tilts. I 1 1 In the form herein'shown, the reversible motor 29 drives a worm pinion 23, in mesh with a Worm gear 24 which is fast upon the sleeve 22.

Such a drive isirreversiblen A-sprocket gear 22a is also fast upon the sleeve 22, and a sprocket chain 25 passes about the gear 22a and a sprocket quadrant 20a fixed upon the sleeve 20. 'One end of the chain 25 is secured to the quadrant 20a; after, wrapping about the gear 22a its other end is guided in a fixed guide 32, and carries a finger 26 engageable alternatively with limit switches 21 and 28 in the circuit controlling the backtilting motor 29. Some such provision is necessary because the tilting of the back relative to the horizintal is not absolute, but is partially determined by the tilting of the seat, and varies as the seat .tilts.

By choice of the direction ofdrive of the motor equalized as between opposite sides, and the back will not sag. The drive includes the irreversible worm drive at 23, 24, and the transmission includes'the sleeve 22 which is coaxial with the tilting axis of the seat, whereby from a fixedly mounted motor 29 to tilt the back, which in turn is carried by the tiltableseat.

The leg rest 4 is mounted tiltably (at 40) upon supporting arms M which are fixed upon the shaft I 0,. to tilt and thus to move the leg rest from or to a projected position such as the fullline position of Figure 6 through the intermediate dot-dash line position 5a to or from a retracted position 55 beneath the forward edge of the seat and close to the floor Areversible motor 49 affords the power for sodoing, actingthrough an endless Ch rm cpnnectihe sprocket g r upon the back. A rack bar 5|, pivotally connected-'at'52 to the head rest, is thrust outwardly or drawn -inwardly, .by a meshed rack pinion 53, driven from the motor 59 by suitable gearing 54. It i'snot so necessary here that the drive be irreversible, but normally it would be substantially irreversible; A guide 55 retains the pinion 53 in mesh with the rack 5|, and guides the latter in its lengthwise movement. i

Thecontrols for the several motors I9, 29, and 59 are notshown, but would be located conveniently to the occupant of the chair, in what-' ever position it might be adjusted. Each component' -isadjustable, in either sense, regardless of the adjusted position of any other component. In particular it should be noted that the leg rest can be adjusted without regard to the adjusted position of the seat, forthe reason that the seats front'edge does not change its level, and theleg rest can always swing under, or outwardly of, the seat. Limit switches and the like, in addition to those described, would normally be employed, but are not shown since they are conventional and add nothing to the understanding of the invention.

To'complete the chair, a reading stand I would normally be provided. This is mounted for substantially universal adjustment relative to the chair, so that it mayalways be positioned comfortably relative to the chairs occupant, Whatnates the reading matter so held, and is shaded i from the readersieyes.

I claim as my invention:

1. A chair comprising a floor-supported frame, a seat mounted thereon for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats forward edge, a back mounted upon'theseat for tilting about an'aXis adjacent the seats rear edge, power meanscarried by the frame, seat-elevating means, including a rotatablemember carried bythe seat engageable be tween the frame andtheseats rear edge, transmission means operatively connecting said power means and' said rotatable member of said seatelevating -means, through the axis about which the seat tilts, andmeans on the frame operatively connected to=tilt the back, independently of tiltingoftheseat. z" Y r 7 2 A chair comprising: a fiooresupported frame, a seat mounted thereon for'tilting about an axis adjacent the seatsforward ed e, a back mounted upon the seat for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats rear edge, power means carried by the frame, and power transmission means, including an element mounted coaxially of the axis about which the seat tilts, operatively connecting said power means and said back, for tilting the latter in any adjusted position of the seat.

3. A chair comprising a floor-supported frame, a seat mounted thereon for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats forward edge, a back mounted upon the seat for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats rear edge, power means carried by the frame, transmission means, including an element coaxial with the axis about which the seat tilts, operatively connecting the power means and the back, for tilting the latter in any adjusted position of the seat, and power means on the frame operatively connected to tilt the seat, and arranged for energization substantially independently of the power means for tilting the back.

4. A chair comprising a floor-supported frame, a seat mounted thereon for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats forward edge, a back mounted upon the seat for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats rear edge, a first power means carried by the frame, transmission means, including an element coaxial with the axis about which the seat tilts, operatively connecting the power means and the back, for tilting the latter in any adjusted position of the seat, a second power means on the frame arranged for energization independently of the back-tilting power means, and transmission means, including an element mounted coaxially of the axis about which the seat tilts, operatively connecting said second power means and the seat for tilting the latter.

5. A chair comprising a floor-supported frame, a seat mounted thereon for tilting about an axis adjacent its forward edge, a back mounted upon the seat for tilting about a transverse axis adadjacent the seats rear edge, an arcuate rack mounted upon the frame, coaxially of the axis about which the seat tilts, and disposed adjacent the seats rear edge, a rack gear journaled upon the seat, and meshed with said arcuate rack, power means upon the frame, transmission means interconnecting the power means and said gear, including an element mounted coaxially of the seats tilting axis, for tilting said seat at will, and further transmission mechanism connectin power means on the frame with the back, including an element coaxial with the axis about which the seat tilts, but tiltable independently of energization of the seat tilting means.

6. A chair comprising a floor-supported frame, a seat mounted thereon for tilting about an axis adjacent its forward edge, an arcuate rack, coaxial with the axis about which the seat tilts, mounted upon the frame at each side of the seats rear edge, a transverse shaft journaled in the rear edge of the seat, a, back mounted coaxially of but independently of said shaft, a pair of rack gears upon said shaft, meshing with the respective racks, power means upon the frame, transmission means interconnecting said power means and said shaft, at one side of the seat, said transmission means including an element mounted coaxially of the axis about which the seat tilts, and further transmission mechanism connecting power means on the seat with said back to tilt the latter, including a quadrant fast to the back and coaxially mounted, a rotative winding element coaxial with but independent of the seat, and a tension member interconnecting said quadrant and said winding element.

7. A chair comprising a floor-supported frame, a seat supported thereon for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats forward edge, a back mounted upon the seat for tilting, relative to the seat, about an axis adjacent the seats rear axis, a quadrant fixed with relation to the back, a tension element secured to and extending about said quadrant, a rotative element mounted coaxially of the axis about which the seat tilts, about which rotative element said tension element is wound, and power means carried by the frame and operatively connected to said rotative element, to wind in or out the tension element, and thus to tilt the back at will.

8. A chair comprising a floor-supported frame, a seat supported thereon for tilting about an axis adjacent the seats forward edge, an arcuate rack, coaxial with the axis about which the seat tilts, mounted upon the frame adjacent the seats rear edge, a transverse shaft journaled in the rear edge of the seat, a sleeve journaled upon said shaft, a rack gear fixed upon said shaft and meshing with said rack, a, quadrant fixed upon said sleeve, a back also fixed upon said sleeve, a tension element fixed to and extending about said quadrant, a first rotative element mounted coaxially of the axis about which the seat tilts, about which first rotative element said tension element is wound, a second rotative element mounted coaxially of the axis about which the seat tilts, and operatively connected to said shaft, and power means mounted upon said frame, operatively connected to the respective rotative elements, for selective tilting of the seat or the back.

FRANK J. LUKETA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- 

